cent regularly flossed. This compared with 75 per cent of the general public brushing their teeth twice a
day and 21 per cent consistently flossing between their teeth.
The study also highlighted that 87 per cent of athletes used sports drinks, 59 per cent used energy bars and
70 per cent used energy gels, which are known to damage teeth due to high sugar levels.
The findings, which were published in the British Dental Journal, found that professional athletes have a
“substantial” amount of tooth problems, despite practising good oral hygiene. The study’s authors
suggested that the risk of dental problems could be a result of using products high in sugar, such energy
drinks and bars, which are often marketed without any guidance about oral health.
Dr Julie Gallagher of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute Centre for Oral Health and Performance said: “We
found that a majority of the athletes in our survey already have good oral health-related habits in as much as
they brush their teeth twice a day, visit the dentist regularly, don’t smoke and have a healthy general
diet. However, they use sports drinks, energy gels and bars frequently during training and competition; the
sugar in these products increases the risk of tooth decay and the acidity of them increases the risk of
erosion. This could be contributing to the high levels of tooth decay and acid erosion we saw during the
dental check-ups.”
The team also pointed out that previous studies have suggested elite athletes may face an elevated risk of
oral disease from a dry mouth during intensive training.
The athletes who were interviewed said they would consider taking up even better oral hygiene habits to
tackle this, such as additional fluoride use from mouthwash, more frequent dental visits, and reducing their
intake of sports drinks.
Tooth decay is now the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children in the UK,
according to the British Dental Association (BDA). Recent data has revealed that 170 children and
teenagers in England are undergoing tooth extractions under general anaesthesia in hospitals in England
every day. Official data has revealed an 18 per cent increase in the number of extractions taking place on
children in hospitals since 2012, costing the NHS £205m.
To keep the mouth in a good condition, the BDA advises using fluoride toothpaste, brushing teeth twice a
day, quitting fizzy drinks and sugary snacks, and visiting the dentist regularly.